Hold You While You Sleep
by wickedfanatic06
Summary: Elphaba wants to know that distance and time has not killed her possiblity of knowing that her one love still returns the feeling.


Elphaba lay in her bed in the tallest tower in Kiamo Ko, finishing a letter to Lady Glinda, her best friend. Ten years ago the witch had been forced to fake her death and run away, leaving her best friend behind so that she could live in safety. Every day she was away from the blonde beauty seemed like an eternity. She had loved the woman more than she had ever loved anyone, and she had left Glinda without even telling her of her affections.

Elphaba was terribly sick. She was being watched after by the flying monkeys who had stayed by her side all these years. She came to the realization that the end was approaching fast, and she felt the need for her friend to know the truth. She was, however, no longer strong enough to fly to her friend and tell her face to face.

As Elphaba finished the letter, she folded it up and called to her loyal companion.

"Chistery," Elphaba said, holding out her hand to her monkey friend, "please get this letter to Lady Glinda." The monkey nodded his head in understanding. "Please hurry, my friend."

As the monkey flew out the window Elphaba closed her eyes to rest, hoping that death would not pull its black curtain closed over her just yet.

Lady Glinda was just settling down for the evening, when she heard a tapping on the door to her balcony. She opened the door and stepped outside. It was a clear night, and a light breeze swept through her hair and her clothes She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, remembering back to a night like this, when Elphaba had asked Glinda to join her, to fly with her in her fight to do what she believed needed to be done.

At the time Glinda couldn't bring herself to go. She had been scared to leave, scared of the changes, scared of the unknown. Now every day since Elphaba had left her, she wished that she hadn't been afraid. . Glinda wished she could have been brave and had understood that as long as Elphaba was there, the green woman would allow no harm to come to her. The blonde had decided a while ago, that if she could turn back the clocks she would go back to that time, and she would drop all of her insecurities, and go with the person she had secretly loved.

Then ten years ago, Oz had received word that the Witch had been killed. " Wicked", that's what they had called her. If only they knew. Elphaba was the only person that had seen Glinda for who she was, and who she had the potential to be. Glinda had loved Elphaba, but didn't dare to say anything. She was afraid of telling the green girl, for fear that she would be rejected and looked down upon.

Glinda was brought back to the present by what sounded like a rustling of wings behind the door. Holding her breath afraid of what might await her she reached out closing the door to find a monkey that she would recognize anywhere.

"Chistery?"

"M-miss Ga-ga-Glinda?"

"What are you doing here?" Glinda asked, reaching out and patting the monkey on the head. Seeing that the Animal looked tired, she grabbed him by the hand and led him into her room offering him some water.

"F-for you," Chistery managed to say, holding out a folded up piece of paper.

"Thank you," Glinda said grabbing the letter. Who could be writing her only to have it delivered by a flying monkey? The only person that came to mind had been dead…….. hadn't she?

My Dear Glinda,

Time is so sort, and I am sorry to not be more polite, but I must be blunt.

I regret to inform you that I am very sick, and in truth dying. I know that for the past ten years you have thought me to be dead. Letting you go on believing that was the hardest thing I have ever had to do, but it was the only way that I could live without fear of being caught.

There has been something I have needed to tell you, but had been afraid to all those years ago. I love you Glinda. I always have. You were the only one to see me for who I am, and the only one who was able to see deeper than the green skin that has cursed me all my life. You were the only one who ever told me that I was beautiful, and that my looks were not a curse, and I believed you and still do to this day.

I had hope that I would see you again before my time is up; however, I lack the strength to move from my bed. If you also wish to see me, I have instructed Chistery to lead you here under the darkness of night. If you do not arrive, I understand. I just couldn't bear to leave again without you knowing how I truly felt.

I love you so much, my beautiful Glinda.

Yours Always,

Elphaba

Glinda couldn't believe what she was reading. Elphaba was alive, Elphaba was dying, and most importantly, Elphaba loved her. The blonde needed to see her friend again so that she could tell her she felt the same. Folding up the piece of paper, Glinda kissed it, then tucked it in the front of her dress, keeping it close to her heart.

"Chistery," Glinda said turning to the monkey, who was already waiting by the balcony, "take me to her, please."

The monkey smiled and bowed reverently before taking off. Glinda conjured up her bubble and followed him. Together they flew off into the night.

Back in her tower at Kiamo Ko, Elphaba found herself unable to sleep. She didn't want to admit it, but she was scared; scared that she would fall asleep, and death would come, denying her the chance to know if Glinda had come to see her. Elphaba forced herself to stay awake in an attempt to keep death away.

She began to worry about the different scenarios that could play out. Glinda could read the letter and decide that she didn't want to come to see her. Elphaba had denied telling her that she had actually been alive for ten years. So she could receive the letter and be mad, denying Elphaba the one last look that she was requesting. Then again, she could be mad at Elphaba and come to see her anyway. She could show up saying that she hated the green woman for all that she had been put through, how hurt she had been for the past ten years. The worst outcome that Elphaba could think of was that Glinda would fly to her side to be with her in her last moments, and she would have already died by the time the blonde woman arrived.

She knew that Glinda must have gone through a lot of pain when she had faked her death. Elphaba had been put through the same. Every day that Glinda was not by her side she died a little more because of the feeling of loss of her best friend.

As the seconds flowed into minutes and the minutes flooded into hours Elphaba started losing hope that she would see the beautiful blonde again. She noticed that she started feeling cold and requested more blankets. Soon she was under five blankets, though she was still shaking from the chills. Now she was sweating. The sweat was causing her skin to burn. Fighting the chills and biting back the burning pain was sucking away all of the strength she had left.

Just when she felt like letting go and fading away, a towel wiped the moisture from her forehead, followed by some oil to relieve the burning sensation. Opening her eyes she saw Glinda sitting next to her on the bed, holding two towels and wearing a sad smile.

Elphaba longed to reach out and embrace the smaller woman, but she lacked the strength to remove the five blankets that she was currently buried under. Instead she looked directly into the blue eyes of the woman she loved and managed a smile.

"Glinda, I am so sorry," Elphaba managed to say just above a whisper. "I didn't want to leave you, but it was the only way."

Glinda placed her fingers lightly over the green lips, quieting Elphaba. As she looked her over, Glinda noticed that time and this sickness had not changed Elphaba much at all, and yet Elphaba looked like a completely different person. She was thinner, her skin was not as bright green as it used to be, and her eyes didn't sparkle the way she remembered. It was as if time had made her dull, and yet, she was still just as beautiful. Her hair was as black as ever, and she had that same delicate smile that Glinda found highly endearing.

"I got your letter Elphaba, and I understand. I never thought you ever did anything without a good reason, you are smarter than that." Glinda had started crying, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"I did mean it Glinda, I do love you," Elphaba said , with great effort pulling out her right arm from under the covers and wiping away the smaller woman's tears despite the tingling burn they left on her fingertips, "I always have."

Glinda looked directly into the sandy eyes of the green girl and saw nothing but truth and love. Here was Elphaba dying, and all she was showing was how much she loved. She no longer appeared to be in any pain or distress, just in love.

"I have always loved you, Elphaba."

Upon hearing this, a bright smile spread across the green woman's face. She had only dreamed of the day that she would hear someone say those words to her. At that moment it was as though oil had fed the fire that had been dying inside of her for so long and she radiated a brilliant light.

Glinda maneuvered herself on the bed so that she was now cradling Elphaba's upper body, holding her as close to herself as she could. Now after all these years of not knowing and not being able to see her best friend, she was finally able to hold her, and she had no desire to let go. She did not want to lose the person she loved . . . again.

"I have missed you so much Elphaba," Glinda cried as she nuzzled her face into the crown of Elphaba's head. As she breathed in the scent of Elphaba she noticed that she still smelled of sandalwood oil. She remembered Elphaba had used it for cleansing purposes, so she smelled constantly of sandalwood.

Smelling the sandalwood brought back a flood of memories for Glinda, and she noticed that most of these memories took place in their room at Shiz on stormy nights. Glinda had not liked storms; in fact they terrified her. She remembered how Elphaba would hold her while the storm passed over, and she would whisper soothing words to her. She loved the way Elphaba would always take care of her anytime she was scared, but here in the present there was a twist, Glinda was scared of being left alone for good, and yet she was the one that was doing the holding. Oh how she wished it was Elphaba holding her telling her everything was going to be alright.

"Glinda," Elphaba whispered sounding very tired, "I want you to know that no matter where I have been, what I have been fighting for, a part of me has always belonged to you."

"My heart has always belonged to you Elphaba," Glinda cried into Elphaba's raven hair.

As the two sat together, each enjoying the nearness of the other, a breeze flew in through the open window. Elphaba breathed in the fresh crisp air. As she glanced out the window, Elphaba could see that this was perfect flying weather. Time was running short.

"Fly with me," Elphaba muttered as she tipped her head back and looked into Glinda's bright blue eyes. She was not asking Glinda to fly with her; she was pleading with her. She was taken back to that fateful night when she had left the blonde woman, it had broken her heart. Now staring deep into the eyes of the woman she loved she prayed for once in her life that the answer that she received would be different this time. "Please, Glinda, fly with me."

"You go ahead," Glinda whispered, tears steaming from her eyes. A look of hurt flew onto the green face in front of her and immediately regretted her phrasing. "You go ahead," she whispered again, "I will catch up to you, I have cloths left to pack," Glinda finished in an attempt to somewhat lighten the mood.

Elphaba smiled remembering how enamoured with fashion Glinda was. She couldn't go anywhere for two days without at least five dresses, and now she was making jokes about not being quite ready to leave. Elphaba was happy with the answer that she had received.

"I will be waiting for you," Elphaba managed to say. Lifting her hand ever so slightly she pointed directly out the window and continued, "I will be waiting for you in the west."

"I will come to you."

"I love you Glinda."

"And I you Elphaba," Glinda said before placing a light kiss on the green lips. Pulling away she looked down at the woman in her arms. The sandy brown eyes were closed forever, and there was a smile across Elphaba's face that was brighter than any smile she had ever seen. After all of the terrible suffering and unhappiness the green girl had lived through, she had died happy in the arms of the only person that had truly loved her.

Glinda sat holding the green body as Elphaba entered into her eternal sleep. She was so scared. Now she was alone, and the one person she wanted to call out to hold her while she cried was lying limp in her arms. Yet she could swear as she sat there crying, calling out for Elphaba, she felt arms wrap around her and soft cooing in her ear to calm her down. She felt at ease once again, knowing that Elphaba had not left her and would never leave her, for she always had her memory.

All at once a breeze swept through the room and out the window toward the west. Elphaba was going to wait for her exactly where she said she would.

"Until we meet again," Glinda said into the silence of the room.

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Glinda had decided that she could not bury Elphaba, for the green woman was a free spirit and she felt it should remain that way. With the help of the flying monkeys, she draped Elphaba's cloak over her body and her broom and transported her to Glinda's home in the Emerald City. When she arrived the body was cremated, and a majority of the ashes were put in a pot, but Glinda had a small amount put in a separate little jar.

Elphaba had told her that a part of her had always belonged to Glinda, and not being ready for change, the blonde woman wanted it to remain that way, so the small jar containing ashes was kept above her fireplace under Elphaba's old hat.

On a night similar to the one on which Elphaba had died Glinda grabbed the pot containing the rest of the ashes and stepped out onto her balcony, as the wind swept through her golden hair and toward the west.

"You go now, I'll catch up," Glinda said as she smiled and released the ashes into the wind.

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Every night for 30 years Glinda would step out on her balcony, close her eyes and breath deeply. As she would exhale she would smile. Every night she would renew her promise to Elphaba.

"I'm coming love," she would say. She was not going to force her time, but she would wait for it and be ready for it whenever it was. When she was lonely she would go out and sit on her balcony and face west and talk as though she were having conversations with Elphaba. If she was upset, or scared about something she would go out onto her balcony and talk to Elphaba. When something made her happy she would not hesitate to take a moment out on her balcony to tell Elphaba all about it.

Everyday she would acknowledge Elphaba for fear that she would think Glinda had forgotten about her, and cease her waiting. Glinda wanted Elphaba know that she still loved her, and she was still looking forward to spending forever with her, and every night before going to sleep the blonde would feel an arm around her waist and a kiss brush ever so lightly across her lips.

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One day Glinda realized she was too weak. She couldn't do anything. She did not let this scare her, however, because she knew what this must mean. She was on her way to meet her Elphaba, she was excited, and she had to let Elphaba know that the time was drawing near, then panicked when she realized she was not strong enough to get out of bed and to the balcony. Elphaba would think she had forgotten and she would move on without her. She couldn't let that happen.

"Elphaba," Glinda pleaded, crying out as loud as she could, then closing her eyes she began to sob. She felt so powerless. Glinda curled up with the hat of the green woman and pleaded in almost a whisper for the green woman to wait for her.

All at once she felt something on her and hand she opened her eyes only to become face to face with the green woman, only she looked much younger. She didn't look any older than the day she and Glinda had gone to the Emerald City to meet the Wizard. Glinda stopped crying and wiped her eyes.

"I didn't forget about you Elphie, I wanted to tell you, it's just," Glinda was silenced by the green girl.

"I know Glin, your time is coming."

"You said you would wait for me."

"I came to get you," Elphaba smiled and lay down next to the blonde and held her close, "I couldn't risk you missing me."

"I couldn't miss you Elphie, you told me exactly where you would be," Glinda said snuggling into the woman that was now lying with her. As she lay there, Glinda began to feel uncomfortable. She didn't like this one bit.

"Elphie, I'm frightened," Glinda admitted shamefully. She looked into the dark eyes that were in front of her and began to cry once again.

"There is no need my sweet," Elphaba said tightening her embrace on the blonde, "I am right here."

"We will be together always won't we?"

"Yes my sweet."

"I love you Elphie."

"And I love you Glinda."

Glinda calmed, and wrapped her arms around the woman next to her and closed her eyes.

About an hour later Glinda's handmaidens came into the room to check on their mistress and found her wrapped around an awkward looking pointed black hat, and when they tried to wake her she did not rouse. Sitting on the table next to the bed they found a note. Upon opening it they read:

My love has come for me, and now I am happily with the one I could never be with in life.


End file.
